1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a method and a program thereof, and particularly, relates to an information processing apparatus, a method and a program thereof which are capable of searching desired contents easily.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, along with popularization of digital broadcasting, Internet and the like, a user can obtain a large amount of contents through broadcast waves, Internet and the like, however, it is difficult for the user to search desired contents with the increase of the amount of contents. It is expected that a technique or a method for easily searching desired contents is realized.
As methods for searching contents in related arts, there are a keyword search and a category search which are generally performed in a multimedia recording/playback apparatus performing recording or playback of contents. In the keyword search, contents relating to a designated keyword can be searched using metadata given to respective contents by designating a keyword such as a title or an artist name. In the category search, contents belonging to a designated category can be searched based on category information given to contents by designating a desired category.
In order to appropriately provide information desired by the user so as to be consistent with user's preference, it is proposed that degrees of preference of the user with respect to information are managed as data of multi-hierarchy structure based on environment in which information is used and categories to which information belongs (for example, refer to JP-A-2001-155038 (Patent Document 1)).
Moreover, it is proposed that thumbnails of respective contents are arranged on a screen to be displayed according to degrees of interest of the user with respect to respective contents and similarities between respective contents (for example, refer to JP-A-2001-229167 (Patent Document 2)).